Bottle-cap-dispensing container



L. B. HOOVER.

BOTTLE CAP DISPENSING CONTAINER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1922.

1 42 9 Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27. I922.

Patented; Aug. 22, 1922.

I 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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UNHTEE LESLIE'B. HOOVER, OFMAIDISONVILLE, KENTUCKY.

BOTTLE-CAP-DISIENSING CONTAINER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

Application filed. February 27, 1922. Serial No. 539,526.

ing bottle caps or crowns, but it is adaptable for various other uses.

The principal object of the invention is to design a container which issuch'in construction as to permit the cork linings of the caps to bemoistened and kept in such state so as to prevent leakage of liquid fromthe bottles when the caps are applied.

More specifically speaking, it is an importantobject of the inventiontoprovide a closed container in which a hopper is arranged, this hopperhaving openings through which moisture laden air is designed to pass tomoisten the cork disks of the caps, such a structure being advantageousin that the caps are fed by gravity through the discharge opening in thecasing to permit them to be rapidly used and to dispose them in aconvenient place of easy access. A still further and a very importantobject of the invention is to generally improve upon dispensingcontainers by providing one which is especially designed for the purposementioned, the same being, simple and inexpensive, practical, automaticin operation, and embodying many novel details which insure that theends sought will be very effectively accomplished.

Other objects and advantages of the in-' vention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of'this specification and inwhichlike numerals are employed to designate, like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view illustrating a stand with aplurality of cabinets or' containers arranged thereon.

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of one of the containers.Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 4:. Figure4 is an enlarged central vertical section through one of the containers.the section being taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5. Figure 5 is a sectiontaken substantially on the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a detail elevational view of an opening and closure thereforin the rear side of the container.

Figure 7 is a detail section of the removable drawer. Figure 8 is a topplan view thereof. 7

Figure 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of :Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings wherein the preferred embodiment of theinvention is disclosed indetail, the numeral 1 designates generally asuitably designed stand or support on which a plurality of dispensingcontainers '2 are arranged. .By preference, each container is ofbox-like formation and is properly labeled on its front to designate thekind of caps or other articles held therein. Each of the containers isopen at its top to permit insertion of the caps C and a hinged cover 3is employed for closing this open top. The cover' is equipped with adepending flange 4 which surrounds the bead on the upper edges of theside walls of the container and a packing strip 5 is secured or arrangedbetween the cover and container to act in conjunction with the flange toIenderthe container substantially dust-proof and air-proof. Forconvenience, the following descriptionwill appear in the singular.Proceeding, it j'lSdSO be; pointed out'that in order to permit thecontainer to serve the ends desired, I arrange a hopper 6 therein, thehopper being formed from a plurality of downwardly and inwardly inclinedapertured walls acting in conpunction with the front wall ofthe box toform a complete hopper ,in which the caps are placed. By carefullyexamining the drawings, it will be seen that the apertures adjacent theupper ends of the sides of the hopper are considerably small, whilethose near the discharge openings are larger to permit passage 9f agreater quantity of moisture laden air for moistening the cork disks ofthe caps about to be discharged. It will be noted that the discharge endof the hopper is spaced above the bottom of the box or container andthisspace is occupied by a cap-receiving pocket composed of verticalsides 7 arranged between the hopper and bottom of the box and connectedthereto in any suitable manner. In addition to these vertical sides, thepocket includes a substantially semi-circular shelf 8 which is connectedat its inner end to the rear vertical side 7 and has its opposite endextending through and'projeoting beyond an opening in the front wall ofthe container as indicated at 9. p

Co-eperable with the aforesaid shelf 8 and slidable through the openingin the front of the box is a scoop or drawer 10 which rests on the shelfand has its inner end closely spaced from the rear vertical side 7 ofthe aforesaid pocket as clearly seen in Fig. 5. This scoop is of a sizeto snugly contact the inner face of theaforesaid shelf to prevent any ofthe caps from being lodged between the same and shelf. Hence, openingand closing of the drawer is greatly facilitated. It may be.mentioned'here that prevent the entrance of 'air atithis point "which;would tend to dry the cork linings of the caps. The} drawer-is, ofcourse, equipped with a suitable handle or grip by -means of which it isoperated.

Any suitable means may be employedfor the purpose of supplying the corklinings I with moisture.

In the showing, I have simply illustrated a sponge S which is located inthe container. or box beneath the hopper.

In order to permit insertion and removal ofthe sponge, the rear side ofthe a position to swing over the opening.

box is formed with a suitably sized opening 12 closed by a disk-likeclosure 13 pivotally or otherwise connected with the box in suitablearcuate stop or keeper 14' is connected tothis side of the boxandco-opcrates with the closure to limit its swing ing. movement in onedirection so that it i will completely cover the opening 12.

In use, all caps for a particular kind of beverage, such as gingeralewhich are so labeled, are placed in the container designed to receivesuch caps. Assuming that the container is substantially filledwith capsas 4 shown'in Fig. 5 and that a sponge has been moistened and'placedinto the container, it

l I pass through the apertures'in the hopper 6 willbe seenthat theInoisture'laden air will "and will dampen the cork linings of the capsto keep'them expanded. I may mention here that it istnot essentialntoemploy a utilized. It is to be understood that as soon as the scoop 10is withdrawn through the opening in the front of the box, the capscontained therein will be in a position easy .of access for rapidapplication to bottles.

As the caps are used, other caps in the hopper will feed by, gravitydown into the scoop to position them for use. It will be noted thatwhenthe scoop is in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 5, that part ofthe shelf which extends beyond the box willprevent the scoop from beingtilted. Consequently, when the scoop is again shoved in, its slidingmovement will not be hindered by caps which may otherwise become lodgedbetween the inner end of the scoop and the shelf. After the caps areremoved from this dispensing container and applied to bottles, leakageof liquid from the latter will be prevented, because a tight closingwill be insured in view of the swollen orexpanded state of the corklinings. I

I wish to point out that although the description and drawings disclosethe imfor dispensing and treating bottle caps and crowns, I wish it tobe understood that various other articles may be placed within thecontainer to be acted on and dispensed.

By carefully considering the description in connection with thedrawings, persons familiar with devices of this class will doubtless beable to obtain a clear understanding of the invention. Therefore, a morelengthy and detailed description is deemed unnecessary. I I

Since probably the best results may be obtained with the constructionand arrangement herein shown and described, this is taken as thepreferred embodiment ofthe invention. However, I wish it to beunderstood that minor changes comingwitliin the scope of the inventionas claimed may be re A sorted to if desired. 1

I claim: p

A bottle cap container and dispenser comprising an open top box formedinits front face adjacent its bottom with an opening through which thecaps are discharged and formed in one of its other sides with an openingthrough which the caps are discharged and formed in one of its othersides with an opening through which a moistening element is designed tobe insertedand removed, a pivoted disk closing. the last named opening,a stop for limiting the movement of the disk in one direction, a

cover for the open top of said stop,,a,hopper arranged in said casingand havingits discharge endv disposed above they bottom of thecontainer, said hopper being formed with a plurality of. apertures topermit passage of moisture laden air therethrough to moisten beingdesigned to close the opening in the the corks of the caps Which areplaced in front side of said box, and a moistening elethe hopper, ashelf arranged in the box and ment in the box beneath the hopper fordisposed beneath the discharge end of the moistening the air therein.hopper and extending through the opening In testimony whereof I havehereunto set in the front Wall of the box, a scoop slidable my hand.

on said shelf, the closed end of said scoop LESLIE B. HOOVER.

